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Common Name: Society Garlic

General Information

Tulbaghia alliacea is a Corm up to 0.25 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. Africa - Cape province.

Habitat

Sandy flats[]. Clay or gravelly flats[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Corm
Height	0.25 m
Pollinators	Flies
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a well-drained soil in a sunny sheltered position[].
This species is hardy in the mildest areas of Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c[]. However, it is in leaf during the winter and so is best grown with some protection such as a cold greenhouse or conservatory[].
Plants grow from a cluster of small bulbs attached to a basal plate that is sometimes regarded as a rhizome[].
The flowers are very fragrant at night[]. Another report says that they have an unpleasant smell[]. The whole plant has a powerful aroma of garlic[, ].

Edible Uses

Bulb - cooked[].
Leaves and stems - they can be cooked like spinach or chopped fine and used as a relish[].
Flowers. They are regarded as a delicacy by the native Zulu women[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the greenhouse[]. Sow stored seed in early spring in the greenhouse[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. If planting them outdoors, this is best done in late summer when the plants are dormant.
Division of the dormant plants in late summer.